Viewers stunned by ABC presenter Tony Armstrong’s new look

“Where’s Tony?” ABC presenter Tony Armstrong’s many fans were shocked by his near-unrecognisable new look on-air this morning.

Big day for Tony Armstrong news. HUGE.

The much-loved ABC News Breakfast reporter debuted a new look on the show this morning – and gone are the distinctive mop of hair and moustache that have earned him legions of fans.

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The old Tony.

Tony 2.0.

Armstrong told viewers this morning he’d opted for the extreme makeover after fielding requests from his own mother to tidy up his look.

“She sent me a text [saying], “You would make me feel much better if you shaved your face and got a haircut,” and I was like, “Okay...”’ he revealed.

The sight of a clean-cut, freshly shaven Tony Armstrong left some ABC viewers stunned – and they took to social media to say they barely recognised the new-look Tony:

@Tonaaayy_ where are the lovely locks? I barely recognised you. 😢

— Ca Venz (@CaVenz) November 28, 2021

Woh. What happened to @Tonaaayy_ on @BreakfastNews curly locks this morning.

— Advice from Jen (@JenAdvice) November 28, 2021

@BreakfastNews
Tony!
Was it your choice to have a radical change...or were you " encouraged " by the boss?
Still getting used to the new hair!!😊

— Rhonda Ward (@RhondaWard60) November 28, 2021

@BreakfastNews@mjrowland68@Tonaaayy_ who’s the new sports reporter? Sounds like @Tonaaayy_ but looks nothing like him!

— 💉💉Richard Booth (@RichardB3127) November 28, 2021

did not recognise Tony Armstrong with a haircut and a shave when I turned on the telly this morning

— Jordan “Juciy” Curtis (@Jacurtis95) November 28, 2021

@mjrowland68 Just tuned into @BreakfastNews who's the new bloke on the sports desk..🤔

— Richard Monin 🇦🇺 (@MoninRichard) November 28, 2021

Umm… waking up to @Tonaaayy_ lookalike @BreakfastNews today.

— Jyoti Rai Dhakal (@jyotiraidhk) November 28, 2021

My mum just called me to let me know @Tonaaayy_ cut his hair 😂🤣

— Eliza Sorensen (@Zemmiph0bia) November 28, 2021

@BreakfastNews Did Tony lose a bet? We want his curls back!

— PETER DAVIS (@KAROOLA7) November 28, 2021

@BreakfastNews umm, quick question... Where’s Tony?

— Grant Waldram (@aussiechippie) November 28, 2021

It comes after the ABC last week announced a new Tony project for their 2022 slate: The former AFL player will host a three-part documentary series all about dogs and their relationship to humans called A Dog’s World next year.

It's a dog's world, we're just living in it 🐶 #ADogsWorldAU

Join @Tonaaayy_ in 2022 as he seeks to understand our ever-evolving relationship with dogs. pic.twitter.com/fU1z41tNTc

— abctv (@ABCTV) November 25, 2021

The sports reporter and occasional The Project panellist embraced his heart-throb status earlier this year, briefly launching an OnlyFans account to raise money for charity.

Hopefully he donated the moustache to the ABC Archives.

Armstrong became the full-time sports presenter on News Breakfast back in July when he replaced Paul Kennedy.

He said at the time: “I don’t take it lightly when it comes to the new role.

“I understand the importance of having representation for my people on screens.

“I love that I’m part of that – and I love that by giving me the opportunity the ABC is part of that too.”